Ambulance (2022, dir. Michael Bay)

Mismatched brothers kidnap a paramedic and her cop patient as part of an LA heist getaway. A superior slice of Bayhem (remaking the 2005 Danish flick of the same name) that’s dumb as rocks, but gleeful and propulsive. An impressive commitment to vehicular destruction, and it looks great throughout. Jake Gyllenhaal clearly has a blast.

Here’s the trailer

Pain and Gain (2013, Dir. Michael Bay)

A gang of body builders in Florida attempt the kidnap and extortion of a businessman. Loosely based on the actual events and court case surrounding the ‘Sun Gym gang’, this outrageous film is entertaining but struggles between crime dramatisation and glorification. A good cast works well here though. Watch it and decide!

Pain and Gain (2013, Dir. Michael Bay)

Transformers (2007, dir. Michael Bay)

A teenager finds he has crucial knowledge that might prevent an intergalactic war between battling robot armies. Spectacular – in the Debordian sense – SF comedy with excellent technical credits, but shot like the fever dream of a Sunny D-addled child. Excessive, and with a nasty after-taste. Four direct sequels followed.

Here’s the trailer.

6 Underground (2019, dir. Michael Bay)

A tech billionaire finances a vigilante squad dedicated to removing threats to global peace. Well-made fun-but-dumb action-comedy playing to the director’s trademark obsessions and strengths in mashing up Michael Mann and Tony Scott. An auteurist work; spectacular in both the Debordian and the blowing-shit-up-good senses.

The Island (2005, dir. Michael Bay)

After discovering the truth about their existence, two clones escape their high-tech facility. Okay near-future (set in 2019) chase thriller that takes a while to get going, but then delivers in the kinetic style typical of its director.

Armageddon (1998, dir. Michael Bay)

A crack team of misfit oil drillers is sent into space to blow up an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Bombastic basic training/mission action flick with some comic moments and all of the director’s penchant for wearying excess when unrestrained.